tseeb
Well-known member
Friday, March 7 Buttermilk
Our drive from Copper to Glenwood Springs was uneventful although left turns on main road once in town required long waits due to heavy traffic coming down the valley. We had a very good dinner at top-rated tripadvisor restaurant along the river. I was not sure where to ski and after about an hour drive with some traffic at many of the traffic lights, then heavy traffic at last light past airport just before Buttermilk took almost an hour. (I later heard there were major delays getting into Snowmass due to an accident.) The parking to take buses to other Aspen areas was full, but we got into last row of parking for Buttermilk where Shaun White Snowboard League was having inaugural event.
(When we left they had parked vehicles on sidewalks and anywhere else they could fit one.) We loaded Summit Express about 920 and Lucia and I skied one of the many perfectly groomed runs which she enjoyed and she also enjoyed that top of Summit Express was lower elevation than base of Copper. Photo taken from Summit Express.
While she took a bathroom break before resuming skiing, I went up Summit, then skied powder on Tiehack side for 7 laps. It was not deep as Buttermile and Ajax reported 4” vs. 12” at Highlands, but there were not many people skiing it so it lasted. Tiehack powder.
Lizzi's Run on edge of Javelin in Tiehack
Best powder was along left edge of Javelin although Timber Doodle Glades also held some untracked. Lucia and I met up again at the base of West Buttermilk Express which tops out at 9,990’ - 180’ higher than Summit. I skied blue Teaser to get there but couldn’t find entrance to black Little Teaser. I did find some untracked along left edge. Lucia liked that she could ski the run under the chair, but was OK skiing Teaser with me. At the top when leaving area, we were surprised to find self-serve free hot apple cider (and water) dispensers.
After another Summit lift lap, we skied Buckskin and Magic Carpet past some $5M+ houses to Tiehack base so she could see the arched footbridge over the Maroon Creek. We did another couple of laps on Summit, doing all of the skier-cross instead of ducking rope into as we had on a previous lap and once almost ending up on way to Tiehack again. But we avoided it by taking almost flat Sterner Catwalk, which was bordered by snow-covered shrubs that looked like blooming dogwoods to me.
One more photo of Lucia at Buttermilk.
We went into Pacifico area at base where Lucia got a hat for filling out form. I got a Pacifico cozy with my $9 beer and enjoyed the four Pacifico girls. Next photo is view of some of Highlands including the Bowl from Buttermilk. Quit before 2 with 21.4K
Friday, March 7 Aspen Mountain (Ajax)
I moved because I wanted to check out the new Hero lift and area, and only having 3 days and four Aspen ski areas I had not been to for a long time. After downloading app to pay for parking, it hung when I tried to use Apple Pay for the 2 1/2 hrs. I thought I’d ski. Instead, while in gondola, I loaded credit card and paid for the 2 hrs I now needed. I missed the Hero lift which closes at 2:30 by 7 min. I skied a couple of Ajax Express runs, rode FIS to ski Ruthie’s and then rode Ruthie’s and skied some powder in trees and along edge of big moguls on Red’s Rungetting back to Ajax Express. I had time for one more quick run down Blondie’s before loading Ajax again and skiing some of Sunrise/Sunset on the shoulder of Bell Mountain.
I could have loaded Ajax again, but maps on lift safety bar said it and all other lifts closed at 3:30 except FIS closed at 3:45 and I wanted to ski one of the dump runs. But FIS was closed so I skied to Aspen base where I was surprised to see gondola was still loading. So instead of getting a less than 700’ vertical on my last lift, I had 3250+’ and made the best of it. I skied Northstar into Gentleman’s Ridge and found some shaded powder along left edge and in steep drop to right, then a lot more in sunny Chute #3.
Previous photo taken at 4:04 PM. Next one taken at 4:06 PM
I quit at 4:10 with 11.9K. Lucia and met up behind Mollie Aspen as both of our maps led up to an construction zone. They had a good bar menu. We split citrus chile shrimp and an order of sliders. 3-9 at the bar, but only 3-5 at bar tables. $6 Coors and $16 glass of Albarino.
Our drive from Copper to Glenwood Springs was uneventful although left turns on main road once in town required long waits due to heavy traffic coming down the valley. We had a very good dinner at top-rated tripadvisor restaurant along the river. I was not sure where to ski and after about an hour drive with some traffic at many of the traffic lights, then heavy traffic at last light past airport just before Buttermilk took almost an hour. (I later heard there were major delays getting into Snowmass due to an accident.) The parking to take buses to other Aspen areas was full, but we got into last row of parking for Buttermilk where Shaun White Snowboard League was having inaugural event.
While she took a bathroom break before resuming skiing, I went up Summit, then skied powder on Tiehack side for 7 laps. It was not deep as Buttermile and Ajax reported 4” vs. 12” at Highlands, but there were not many people skiing it so it lasted. Tiehack powder.
Lizzi's Run on edge of Javelin in Tiehack
Best powder was along left edge of Javelin although Timber Doodle Glades also held some untracked. Lucia and I met up again at the base of West Buttermilk Express which tops out at 9,990’ - 180’ higher than Summit. I skied blue Teaser to get there but couldn’t find entrance to black Little Teaser. I did find some untracked along left edge. Lucia liked that she could ski the run under the chair, but was OK skiing Teaser with me. At the top when leaving area, we were surprised to find self-serve free hot apple cider (and water) dispensers.
After another Summit lift lap, we skied Buckskin and Magic Carpet past some $5M+ houses to Tiehack base so she could see the arched footbridge over the Maroon Creek. We did another couple of laps on Summit, doing all of the skier-cross instead of ducking rope into as we had on a previous lap and once almost ending up on way to Tiehack again. But we avoided it by taking almost flat Sterner Catwalk, which was bordered by snow-covered shrubs that looked like blooming dogwoods to me.
Friday, March 7 Aspen Mountain (Ajax)
I moved because I wanted to check out the new Hero lift and area, and only having 3 days and four Aspen ski areas I had not been to for a long time. After downloading app to pay for parking, it hung when I tried to use Apple Pay for the 2 1/2 hrs. I thought I’d ski. Instead, while in gondola, I loaded credit card and paid for the 2 hrs I now needed. I missed the Hero lift which closes at 2:30 by 7 min. I skied a couple of Ajax Express runs, rode FIS to ski Ruthie’s and then rode Ruthie’s and skied some powder in trees and along edge of big moguls on Red’s Rungetting back to Ajax Express. I had time for one more quick run down Blondie’s before loading Ajax again and skiing some of Sunrise/Sunset on the shoulder of Bell Mountain.
I could have loaded Ajax again, but maps on lift safety bar said it and all other lifts closed at 3:30 except FIS closed at 3:45 and I wanted to ski one of the dump runs. But FIS was closed so I skied to Aspen base where I was surprised to see gondola was still loading. So instead of getting a less than 700’ vertical on my last lift, I had 3250+’ and made the best of it. I skied Northstar into Gentleman’s Ridge and found some shaded powder along left edge and in steep drop to right, then a lot more in sunny Chute #3.
Previous photo taken at 4:04 PM. Next one taken at 4:06 PM
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